Automating PDF Using QTP

Well i am working on a QTP project and had this task of automating PDF using QTP.

I have had no experiences in automating pdfs before but after some survey i find that there are so many ways in which we can do so.I found some guidelines here and there but most of them were misguides and asking me to purchase software/licences.

In this blog post i am sharing some insight on the different techniques.

For basic QTP users i must first explain what is an object creation.This would enable to understand the below with ease.

When you want to add objects in the object repository you just open the repository and click on the + sign.But now you can improvise by creating objects.For that you must know the name of the appropriate application.

Lets explain with an example of opening internet explorer.

SystemUtil.Run ( FileName, Parameters, Path, Operation ) OR InvokeApplication "C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE http://www.google.com"

Now if you can create an object of internet explorer then we can view a lot of options as dropdown.Here is the syntax:  createobject(Servername.typename) where Servername would be the application providing the object and typename would be the type or the class to create object for.

Set NewOBj = createobject("InternetExplorer.Application")

NewOBj .visible=true
NewOBj .navigate"http:\\www.google.com" 

When you type .(dot) after  NewOBj you will find a lot of options to choose from.

When you have created an object of an application you can get a lot of options to choose from.

Coming back to our case with PDF automation,we can automate PDF in the below mentioned ways based on our requirement.

---------------------------------------ADOBE READER-------------------------------

1.If Adobe Reader is installed in the machine

Then we can use Set NewOBj = createobject("AcroPDF.PDF").

Example: To Print a pdf file

Set objAcroPDF = CreateObject("AcroPDF.PDF")
objAcroPDF.LoadFile("C:\D2\Scanner\test.pdf")
objAcroPDF.PrintAll

Set objAcroPDF = Nothing

This technique is limited and contains only a very few options and can be used for purposes like printing the pdf file.Haven't noticed anything significant about this. 

----------------------------------------ADOBE ACROBAT------------------------------

2  .If Adobe Acrobat is installed in the machine

Then we can use  

  a)  Set oPDFDoc = CreateObject( "AcroExch.PDDoc" )

Example To get the number of pages of a pdf file

 Set oPDFDoc = CreateObject( "AcroExch.PDDoc" )
    If oPDFDoc.Open( FileName ) Then
        GetNumPagesInPDF = oPDFDoc.GetNumPages()
        Set oPDFDoc = Nothing
    Else
        GetNumPagesInPDF = -1
    End If

   b)  Set PdfForm = CreateObject("AFormAut.App")--to manipulate from pdf forms

   c)  Set objAcrApp = CreateObject("AcroExch.App")--creating acrobat application object

   d)  Set objAVDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.AVDoc")--we have to create one avdoc object per displayed document.

    

 Example: To open a pdf file display it for sometime and then close it.

Set objAcrApp = CreateObject("AcroExch.App")

objAcrApp.Show()

Set objAVDoc = CreateObject("AcroExch.AVDoc")

objAVDoc.open "PATH of PDF","Title"

wait(200)

objAVDoc.CloseAllDocs

objAVDoc.exit
Set objAVDoc=nothing

We can use  objAVDoc.FindText("text") before closing,if we want to find if a text is present or not.

--------------------------- LEARNQUICKTEST.MANIPULATEPDF.DLL-----------

3.  If you have do not have Adobe Acrobat but only have the Adobe Reader,then you can download a copy of  an API from this link  http://www.learnqtp.com/learnquicktestpdf-api-manipulating-pdfs-in-qtp/

The instruction for the download and usage is given

Once it is installed on the system then you can create an object of the DLL file LearnQuickTest.ManipulatePDF.dll

Note:This Dll file can also be installed alternatively by registering it in the RegAsm.exe.

Search for the RegAsm.exe file in your system.Once found goto Run and type cmd.Once the command screen opens type "PATH of RegAsm.exe\RegAsm.exe" "PATH of Dll File\LearnQuickTest.ManipulatePDF.dll"   

Set oPDF=createobject("LearnQuickTest.ManipulatePDF")

You will get a dropdown option after you type oPDF.

----------------------------------- PLUG-IN ADOBE APTT----------------------------------

4.     If you want QTP to read PDF files and add objects directly then all you need is to download ADOBE APTT plugin.If you install ADOBE APTT plugin, QTP starts identifying the objects in PDF.This can be downloaded from the link http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/aptt/

 

--------------------------------------------------------N.B---------------------------------------------------------------------

The following will be needed to grasp a better understanding

1)How to install/uninstall DLL files(explained above in case #3)

2) If qtp is not installed but you want to test codes

Ans) write the codes in text file.save the file in .vbs fromat.Then double click this file for autorun without QTP

3)How to know the names of applications of which we can create an object of.

Ans)Goto Run.Type regedit.Registry editor will open and you can view all the registry files.Typical names like AcroExch.PDDoc can be found under adobe or you can manually search for all applications under adobe acrobat.

Hope this benefits those involved in PDF QTP projects.Thanks ....